The start of college football season is often a time of anticipation, excitement, and preseason optimism. Students and alumni alike flock to stadiums decked out in their school’s colors, prepared to enjoy a nail-biting first game of the year. This year, UM and UF faced off against each other in Gainesville, while Florida State played in Ireland against Georgia Tech. The results were shocking, and foreshadowed the rest of the college football season for all of the Florida teams.
For FSU fans, their game in Ireland was set to be an easy win against Georgia Tech, who had a 6-6 season last year. And it was close–they lost by only a field goal–but it was a tough game for diehard Seminole fans to watch.
“I remember my dad being very cocky and saying that we would win that first game,” senior and proud FSU supporter Andrea Lavin said. “My uncle flew over to Ireland to go watch the game, because they thought ‘we’re totally going to win’. And we totally did not win.”
After having a 13-0 season in 2023, the previously undefeated university started off this year leaving fans disappointed. Since the August 24th game, FSU has won only one game: and that was against UC Berkeley. Their losses have been frequent and embarrassing: Boston College and Duke, schools known for having a less than mediocre football team, both beat Florida State.
On the other side of the spectrum, the University of Miami is currently celebrating their victorious season. Having defeated the Florida Gators, USF Bulls, and the Florida State Seminoles, the Canes have secured themselves a spot in the top of the ACC division. They currently rank #5 with the impressive 9 wins earning them 1283 points thus far.
“Honestly I feel like [the University of Miami’s] offense is very impressive and very different from previous years. Even when we are down by a lot, they don’t give up and continue persevering,” senior UM fan Emily Alfano said, “The only issue with the team is that the defense makes many mistakes. I feel like they miss too many tackles and allow explosive plays from the other team that could have been prevented.”
Up to this point, the Top 25 features many teams that are not normally ranked, including Illinois, BYU, and Army. The fact that UM is currently #5 is both impressive and unusual, but a surprise that has been keeping all Canes fans on their toes.
With only a few matches left to play, both UF and UM are looking for their spots in a bowl game. Things could go in both directions for the teams, especially looking towards their future matches. With Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and Syracuse on the calendar for the University of Miami, chances are high that they’ll be able to advance in the ACC. FSU doesn’t have much of a chance, but Florida might be able to sneak their way into a bowl game, even though they haven’t been to one since 2022.
One thing for sure is that this season has been a memorable one. The unpredictability of it all has united proud alumni and prospective students alike. We have yet to see what the rest of 2024 will look like, but hopefully, all 3 teams earn a few more wins to round off this unique season.
